Tuesday, November 30, 2010

CHN Links: Tuesday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. I don't want to divulge anything specific, mostly because nothing's been finalized, but exciting changes are ahead for us. But you didn't come here for us; you came here for the Magpies...so, Tuesday's links are after the jump.


Cheik Tiote battles for possession with Didier Drogba, who in this instance has chosen to stay on his feet.
Associated Press

Newcastle 1, Chelsea 1 - A Collection of Reviews

Lee Ryder, The Chronicle - Sees the draw as a redemption of sorts. Hands out praise to several Toon players.

Scott Wilson, The Northern Echo - Great recap and reviews for each individual player.

Kevin McCarra, The Guardian - The recap focuses mostly on Chelsea's disappointment, but as always there are good stats and chalkboards.

Toonsy, nufcblog.org - " [W]e were just about good enough for the point." Points out that the Toon still haven't lost to a London side.

Ed Harrison, nufcblog.com - Praises the defense for their performance. "...if the lads continue to show this type of form and fighting spirit, then we should be safe this season."

Graeme Bailey, Sky Sports - Solid recap and statistics. Chelsea sweeps Bailey's match awards.

MirrorFootball - Good recap of the action.

Martin Blackburn, The Sun - The write-up almost exclusively focuses on Chelsea, and at least one fact about Newcastle is wrong (they were down 5 first-teamers, not 4).

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Week 15 Talking Points

Today we debut a new feature: Talking Points. Because of our policy of waiting a day or two to post a review (hence the name "Reasonable Reaction") and because there usually isn't enough news on the day of a game to merit a links post, we often don't post anything immediately following a game. This feature will change that. Following each game we will post some suggested talking points for all to discuss in the comments. (We know you're out there; the numbers say we've got readers, but no commenters. Consider this your invitation to join the conversation.)

Talking Points:
1. Are you happy to escape with a point against a top side, or disappointed to settle for a draw at home?
2. Are you satisfied with Sol Campbell and Steven Taylor in the back?
3. For the Shola Ameobi haters: Why?
4. Sort of a follow-up: Do you want Shola or Nile Ranger up front with Andy Carroll?
5. Chelsea: Bad floppers or the worst floppers?

Gameday!

Good morning, Toon Army. Let's beat the Blues! A smattering of online previews follows the jump.


Is it possible that the snowy conditions at St. James Park could somehow give the Toon an advantage?
Photo credit unknown

Thursday, November 25, 2010

CHN Links: Thanksgiving Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the States. I plan on being in a turkey-induced coma by the time the Cowboys kick off.


Tim Krul has filled in well for the injured Steven Harper. How will Sol Campbell fare as a defensive replacement?
Photo credit unknown

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

CHN Links: Wednesday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Ready for Chelsea?


If you Google Image Search "Sol Campbell fat belly," this comes up on page 4. Um, somebody else told me that.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

CHN Links: Tuesday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Looks like we may have three suspended players this week. Things are not looking up for the Magpies at this particular point in time.


That third kit is unlucky. No more blue!
Paul Currie/Action Images

Monday, November 22, 2010

Bolton 5, Newcastle 1 - A Collection of Reviews

Jamie Jackson, The Guardian - Focuses (rightly) on Johan Elmander's big day. Of course there are chalkboards, statistics, etc.

Paul Fraser, The Northern Echo - Says that Newcastle finally got their rude welcome to the Premiership.

Toonsy, nufcblog.org - Very upset with the performance, but stays upbeat.

Ed Harrison, nufcblog.com - Gives a play-by-play recap and tries to encourage a reasonable reaction to the result.

CaughtOffside - Video highlights.

Simon Bird, MirrorFootball - Very high on Bolton.

Mike Ellis, The Sun - Backs Bolton boss Owen Coyle for Manager of the Year.

CHN Links: Monday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. FC Dallas lost the MLS Cup last night, making them the third Dallas team in a row to go into a Championship as the favorite and lose. That sucks. Fortunately, the hand-wringing over Newcastle has been kept to a relative minimum.


I don't really want curly hair this week.
Photo credit unknown; pulled from thesun.co.uk

Saturday, November 20, 2010

CHN Links: Back from Vacation Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Vacation was very nice; thanks for asking. Rather than trying to recap a week's worth of news (injuries to Ryan Taylor AND Kazenga LuaLua? More Andy Carroll drama? Darren Bent says NUFC fans torched his car? I guess vacation is bad luck...), we will simply give you some previews for tomorrow's tilt against the Wanderers. Enjoy!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Vacation

RKW and I are going on vacation this week. We and the wives will be hanging out in central Texas doing some fishing and lots of eating, to be sure. We won't be updating the blog until at least Saturday unless something huge happens. I know that RKW has a review of the Fulham match still to post (I've seen the draft, but I'm not sure when it's going up), so watch for that. Here's hoping we come back to a new assistant manager.

Howay the lads!

Reasonable Reaction Monday: NUFC 0-0 FFC

Well, I look silly. I predicted this match would be a race to three goals and both teams would be scoring goals. A 3-2 Newcastle win, I said. Five total goals. If I'm being honest, I actually thought it could go higher than that. So of course it all ended up in a 0-0 tie. Follow us past the jump for the complete review.

Colo vs Davies, meh. Credit: Owen Humphreys/PA via Guardian.co.uk

Newcastle 0, Fulham 0 - A Collection of Reviews

Lee Ryder, The Chronicle - Wonders about what the game could have been.

Louise Taylor, The Guardian - Calls Newcastle's play "bereft of imagination" and suggests that they lob the ball in to Carroll too much. Don't miss their match facts and chalkboards.

CaughtOffside - Video Highlights

Simon Bird, MirrorFootball - Focuses on Chris Hughton's positive attitude.

BPL Official Site - Good play-by-play account.

Ed Harrison, nufcblog.com - Can't decide whether to be disappointed or relieved. You're not the only one, Ed.

Toonsy, nufcblog.org - Calls the result "terrible" and takes a few shots at Damien Duff.

Paul Fraser, The Northern Echo - Says the Magpies "lacked punch" and sort of repeats himself about Andy Carroll. Hey, it's hard to write about a 0-0 draw.

Steve Brenner, The Sun - Not much on the game itself. Zeroes in on the lack of an assistant.

CHN Links: Monday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. A good night for our home team as FC Dallas advances to its first ever MLS Cup Final. I'd trade it for a win at Bolton, though.


Chris Hughton's version of the #HyndmanJacket.
Photo credit unknown; pulled from chroniclelive.co.uk

Saturday, November 13, 2010

A Correction

Earlier in the week and in more than one article we have said that Cheik Tiote was suspended for today's game due to receiving 5 yellow cards. It has been brought to my attention that he in fact only has 4 to his name, so he is eligible to play today. We apologize for any confusion.

(What a relief!)

CHN Links: Gameday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Would it be too much to ask for a home win today?


You're a great American and an even greater Texan, Clint, but today I just want to wipe that stupid look off of your face.
Photo credit unknown; pulled from insidemnsoccer.com

Better Know An English Football Team: Fulham FC

In lieu of a proper preview for this match, and in order to get to know our opponent for this weekend's match a little better, we (or I should say RKW did; I had little to do with it) got together with Russ Goldman of Cottagers Confidential, a Fulham FC blog, and we exchanged some questions and answers. Listed here are the questions we asked with his answers. To see the other side of the conversation, go here. Many thanks to Russ.

CHN: Since we're Americans, and more than that Texans, we have a soft spot in our heart for your Clint Dempsey. Tell us how the Fulham fans feel about Clint. We know the American personality can sometimes be tough to mesh with English teams, but it seems like Clint fits right in.

Russ:To be honest, Clint Dempsey is what brought me to Fulham and the initial reason I became a fan of the club. I think Fulham fans have really taken to Clint. He has scored some key goals for the club. I know many fans will never forget the goal he scored against Juventus in the Europa League last season. I think it might have been the best goal ever scored by an American in a European club competition.

CHN: What's Fulham's biggest fear coming to Saint James' Park? To put it another way, a few reasons why you could lose this match.

Russ:Well, Fulham have not won a road game since last August at Portsmouth. Winning on the road is a major issue for Fulham. They are playing better, but still have not found a way to win. I think some injuries in back are concerning and could make Fulham vulnerable. Both Chris Baird and Carlos Salcido should be out for this match. Stephen Kelly is average at right back and Matthew Briggs is a promising player at left back, but he is very young. Also, Fulham are below average at best at defending set pieces. This has been a concern for awhile for the this club.

CHN: What do you feel are the Cottagers' biggest strengths matching up against NUFC? In other words, give me a few reasons why you could win this match.

Russ: I think Fulham have an emerging star up front in Moussa Dembele. I think he is close to breaking out with a big game. He is a player for Newcastle to keep an eye on. Also, if Danny Murphy has a strong game in the central midfield, Fulham could be on their way to a victory. He is really the engine of Fulham in the middle and feeds the guys up front.

CHN: Aaron Hughes and Damien Duff are both Cottagers now, will they start? How will it be for them to roll back into Tyneside?

Russ: Both players I expect to start and have big roles in this game. I am sure both players will want to put on a big performance against their former side. Both players are integral parts of Fulham and when they are out, Fulham are not as cohesive of a club.

CHN: Cheik Tiote and Joey Barton have been in steadfast control of our midfield, especially over the last several games. They will both serve suspensions this weekend, how well does this bode for Fulham? Gamechanging?

Russ: This could be a huge advantage for Fulham. As I mentioned before, Danny Murphy is really the key to Fulham. When he plays well, the club seems to win. The reason being is he sets up the offense like a point guard in basketball. His passing helps create scoring opportunities for the strikers up front.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Newcastle 1, Blackburn 2 - A Collection of Reviews

Lee Ryder, The Chronicle - Uses the word "untypically" a bunch to let us know that this sort of thing shouldn't happen.

BPL Official Site - A nice play-by-play account.

CaughtOffside - Video highlights.

Louise Taylor, The Guardian - Great statistics and an article that focuses on redemption for Sam Allardyce.

Paul Fraser, The Northern Echo - Also focuses on the Sam Allardyce story.

Simon Bird, The Mirror - More on Sam.

Toonsy, nufcblog.org - Tries to find a bright side.

Ed Harrison, nufcblog.com - Sums the game up with three words (though he certainly has more than that): Not good enough.

CHN Links: Friday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Tired of hearing about Joey Barton? This post has you covered.

CHN Links: Joey Barton Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. There was so much content on the Joey Barton situation that I felt the need to make a separate post covering it all. I'd like to think that with a match coming up on Saturday that all of the attention will calm down over the next day or two, but I have a feeling that we'll be writing about this for weeks to come.


Punch in the chest: 3 games. How many would it have been if it was in the face?

Joey Barton has decided not to appeal the FA's decision to charge him with violent conduct, meaning he will be suspended for the next three matches, which are against Fulham, Bolton, and Chelsea. He also apologized to just about everybody he could think of. (Lee Ryder, The Chronicle) Blackburn forward Jason Roberts had some harsh words to say about Barton, (Sky Sports) while Morten Gamst Pedersen, the recipient of Joey's punch, invited Joey out to dinner as a peace offering. What a class act. (Simon Bird, MirrorFootball)

Meanwhile, since Joey Barton is a lightning rod for criticism, people from all over are taking the opportunity to say their peace about him. The Guardian listed all of Barton's indiscretions without commentary, then Barry Glendenning and Rob Bagchi of the same publication said, among other things, "a leopard cannot change its spots." Harry Redknapp chimed in as well (What on earth is doing writing for The Sun of all things? Oh well, another topic for another day...), saying that Barton's indiscretion will definitely hurt Newcastle's play for the next three games. Simon Bird of MirrorFootball says that all of Joey's progress that he's made over the last few months was erased in just a moment. Lee Ryder says that all of the criticism aimed Barton's way is overblown.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Joey Barton Charged With Violent Conduct

UPDATE: Fixed the links.
According to The Sun (and various other sources, see this), Joey Barton has been charged by the FA with Violent Conduct for punching Morten Gamst Pedersen on Wednesday.



The charge means that Barton will likely be suspended for the next three games. A three game suspension is never good, but it's especially bad timing as Cheik Tiote will be forced to sit for one match as he has now picked up five yellow cards.

More on this as it unfolds.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Andy Carroll

Sometimes as I put together the links for each new day, I feel like all I'm doing is writing about Andy Carroll. That's not a bad thing, and certainly not unexpected. Carroll does, after all, wear the storied #9 jersey and he's a talented young striker that makes news on and off the pitch. It follows that people would want to write about him.

I've read so many of these articles that I feel like I could write them myself. Carroll, the talented but troubled young Geordie, has the opportunity to play for a top side in his own backyard. He scored 19 goals last season and is now out to prove that he can score against Premiership-level teams. Recently, a former footballer came out and said that Andy Carroll can be an all-time great if he can keep his affairs in order. Fabio Capello hasn't called him up to England yet, but he's scouted him several times and surely he'll get the call this time. Insert a joke about Captain Nolan wiping his bottom at home, and you have a standard Andy Carroll feature.

I'm not trying to say that each feature I come across doesn't have its own intrinsic value; I like reading about the talented young striker that plays for the team I cheer for. But the fact that so many of these articles contain much the same material makes this piece by Kevin McCarra of The Guardian that much...weirder, for the lack of a better term. I'm struggling to figure out what McCarra is trying to accomplish here. He seems to say the following: Carroll is good, but probably not that good, because Newcastle were just promoted. He'll probably get the call anyway because England is sort of low on strikers at the moment. Also, Chelsea said that they wanted to poach him, so that's a good segue to talk about what the big clubs are doing right about now and how they could benefit from a better striker.

I know it seems strange for me to pick a random article out from a reliable publication and nitpick it. I just don't know what else to do with this bit of writing. Andy Carroll: The enigma that confuses defenses and sportswriters alike.

CHN Links: Gameday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Let's beat The Rovers today!


That can't be good for your blood pressure, Sam. Take it down a notch.
Photo credit unknown; pulled from standard.co.uk

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

The Tactics Behind Arsenal 0, Newcastle 1

You know that feeling you get when you turn on Match of the Day 2 and The Toon have made the cut for the show? Multiply that feeling times 10 and that's how I get when I see that Newcastle has received the Zonal Marking treatment. It's the little things in life that can give us great joy, and the week after a 1-0 win is always joyful. Read and yes...enjoy.

Ten steps: how Newcastle coped with Arsenal in the centre of midfield (whilst playing a 4-4-2)

Preview: Red Rover Red Rover Let Blackburn Come Over

It's called Red Rover on our side of the pond but I think its title has something to do with bulldogs in the UK. At anyrate it fits more comfortably as in my title if I use the US name.

The midweek games are here and what better time to start them than when your side has just come of three straight wins. The first of these will be against a middle of the table Blackburn side. That middle of the table placing may be deceptive though. Follow us past the jump to find out why.

Arsenal 0, Newcastle 1 - A Collection of Reviews

Lee Ryder, The Chronicle - says the team "won in style" and "should fear nobody."

The Journal - gives a play by play and wonders if Andy Carroll's performance will be noticed by Fabio Capello.

BPL Official Site - says a report is "coming soon," but this link is of interest because of the following statistic: 1% of fantasy players correctly predicted a 1-0 away victory. 1%!

CaughtOffside - Video Highlights

The Guardian - Good statistics and a great writeup by Paul Doyle.

Paul Fraser, The Northern Echo - notes that once again, The Magpies overcame off the field turmoil to achieve an unexpected result.

Toonsy, nufcblog.org - puts this match among the best of the season and calls it a "team effort."

Ed Harrison, nufcblog.com - He was so happy that he started to run out of adjectives by the end of his review.

CHN Links: Tuesday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. It feels weird that we're going to be watching another match tomorrow. For now, let's continue to revel in Sunday's win.


Andy Carroll's career - just taking off.
Photo credit unknown; pulled from mirrorfootball.co.uk

Monday, November 8, 2010

Reasonable Reaction Monday: Magpies Seize the Day (and Three Points) from the Gunners

Let me first say that I have never felt more anxious about a half of football than Sunday's second half at Emirates. But, I'm on record saying how well this team plays when it is the first to score a goal, and I had faith in not only that, but Hughton's ability to manage that slim lead to the end. After four minutes of stoppage time, it turned out that my faith was not misplaced.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Updated League Table

First of all, I would like to apologize for not having a links post with previews up this morning. An elder lady that was very important to me passed away early this morning, throwing both my work and personal lives into disarray. (Those of you who know what I do for a living will understand.) Since RKW works nights and happened to be working last night, I was unable to rely on him as a safety net as I so often have.

In any case, nothing will take away from the joy that comes from a 1-0 victory over a top side. The Magpies are in excellent form, to say the least, and the fact that they were able to get this result as News of the World was spreading nasty rumors about a "cocaine orgy" at skipper Kevin Nolan's house makes it even sweeter. RKW will post a proper review in due time, so for now, let's all take joy in the following two facts:

(1) Midweek games are finally here! We play Blackburn on Wednesday, and there's no better time to play three games in a week than at a time when the team is playing well together.

(2) Newcastle stands alone at #5. It seems like every week I read previews from other team sites that take every opportunity to call this team "newly promoted," which, while technically true, does not tell the whole story. This is not a fresh new team that is intimidated by the Premiership. Take notice: As of this moment, Newcastle is a Top 5 side. We may not stay there, but 17 points in 11 games sounds good to me. Enough sermonizing; let's let the table do the talking.


Courtesy premierleague.com

Saturday, November 6, 2010

CHN Links: Saturday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. I've avoided making Arsenal puns in this space so far this week, but it hasn't been easy. Check out the links after the jump.


I'm not sure what the context of this is, but it's funny.
Photo credit unknown

Friday, November 5, 2010

CHN Links: Friday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Harper aggravates his injury, Bruce complains about poor treatment, and one more candidate is crossed off the list for assistant...after the jump.


Cheer up, Sleepy Jean...
Photo credit unknown, pulled from mirrorfootball.co.uk

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Preview: The Entertainers Head to Emirates

On Sunday NUFC will look to end a ten game drought against Arsenal, but the last time we came off such a decisive win the next few games looked rather poor. Here's hoping that the lads have learned that lesson.

Injuries remain largely the same as Gosling, Harper, Best, and Ben Arfa will be unavailable. Sol Campbell has seemed doubtful but insists that he wants to play in this game. Steven Taylor should also be ready after playing an hour in the Reserves match agains Wigan.

I expect to see much the same side that faced S*nderland on Sunday, playing much the same style that saw that unlucky loss at ManC. Ameobi has certainly bought his place at the front and I cannot see Perch winning his place back with what Danny Simpson has shown in these last two ties. I expect the side to look something like this:
--------------Krul-------------
Simpson---Colo---Willo---Jose
--------------Tiote------------
Barton-------Nolan------Jonas
-------Ameobi----Carroll------

Bench: Sodererg, Sol, Smith, Routledge, Raylor, Ranger, Lovenkrands

NUFC are 11/1 dogs for this tie and I expect the game to go a bit like that. Don't get me wrong I don't think points here are completely out of the question, but I think it's fair to say they are unlikely. A hard fought loss won't be anything to sneeze at. NUFC 1-3 AFC.

Howay the Lads.

CHN Links: Thursday Edition

Good evening, Toon Army.


Let's not see any more of this, okay?
Photo credit unknown, pulled from thegoonblog.com


Mike Williamson is happy that his "dark days" are behind him. (Lee Ryder, The Chronicle)

Sol Campbell wants to play against Arsenal. (Lee Ryder, The Chronicle)

Joey Barton's name has been thrown around for selection on the England squad once again, but he insists that he is focusing on the club. (Lee Ryder, The Chronicle)

Another day, another player coming out in support of Chris Hughton. Today it's Steve Harper. (Luke Edwards, The Journal) Harper is hoping to come back before Christmas. (Paul Fraser, The Northern Echo)

Danny Simpson remembers what happened after Newcastle beat Aston Villa by a wide margin - they fell off the next week. He says the team is not taking anything for granted. (Mark Douglas, The Journal)

As we reported a couple of weeks ago, former Magpie Paul Gascoigne has had trouble with the law recently, and he appears to have made it worse by making bad jokes during his latest court appearance. (CaughtOffside)

Cheik Tiote answered fan questions on the NUFC Official Site. It's clear from his answers that he's nothing short of a class act.

Marc Duffy of ESPNSoccernet has a rather entertaining view of the Tyne-Wear Derby.

Toonsy of nufcblog.org explores the differences between the new and old midfields.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Chris Hughton Out?

While the Unwashed were busy getting their clocks cleaned by The Toon, one of our Twitter followers humorously asked, "Hughton Out?" It was such an off-the-wall (and of course, tongue-in-cheek) suggestion that I literally laughed out loud. Surely nobody wants Hughton out after that glorious day, right?

Following the drubbing of the mackems, several local and national writers spoke out about Hughton's contract situation and what the most recent result means for negotiations. Mark Douglas of The Journal says it's time to reward "shrewd" Chris Hughton for his "stunning work." Louise Taylor of The Guardian concurs, saying Hughton's position was "strengthened immeasurably following the Derby win.

However, two writers of MirrorFootball offered some commentary about just why nothing has gotten done yet. Simon Bird has a lengthy article about Mike Ashley and the board of directors playing hardball with Chris Hughton. David Anderson of MirrorFootball adds that the tension be a result of Hughton not being a "big enough" name for Ashley. Frankly, I find Ashley's position on this absurd, and I know I'm not the only one. Hughton has done everything that's been asked of him and more with little resources, a problem which belongs to the owner, by the way. Sure, things could go south. The Magpies have shown some inconsistency this season, no doubt. But I fear that if Ashley, et al, continue to hold such a hard position, their relationship with Hughton may be damaged beyond repair. Extend him now, before another Premiership team snaps him up and we have to face him twice a year!

James Perch A Flop?

Chris McQuade of EPLTalk posted his "Top 5 Transfer Flops of the Season, So Far" earlier this week, and one James Perch is listed at #5. I don't want to get into what McQuade's entire list should look like, but I disagree with Perch's inclusion.

I think the reason Perch was included is that his numbers simply don't look great. Much was made of the fact that he was forced to sit out after just 5 games due to discipline problems, and he had an own goal against The Potters of the "wrong place at the wrong time" variety, but we all know how those can be blown out of proportion. He has had a couple of games where he looked out of sorts - the Wigan match jumps to my mind immediately.

However, he has also been a solid replacement for Danny Simpson - a needed one. Can you imagine the back line without Perch? Simpson, Steven Taylor, and Sol Campbell have all gone down with injury. At times there has actually been competition for selection, but at other times there have been exactly 4 viable options at defense to choose from. I suppose you could argue that another transfer could have come in and done the job just as well or better, but for 1 million pounds, I don't see Perch as wasted money.

Offensively, the chemistry between Perch and Routledge (when he plays) has been critical in getting the ball down the right side of the pitch. The combination of playing a high defensive line and experimenting with different combinations of wingers on the right side could be the cause of Perch's defensive miscues - at times it looks as if he's unsure about how aggressive he's supposed to be. Does this make Perch a flop? Not in my mind.

In fact, I wouldn't even call Perch the biggest flop of the transfer window for Newcastle. That honor belongs to Sol Campbell, who couldn't see the field early because of match fitness and can't see the field now because of injuries. Sure, it's unfair to give him a grade that's anything but an incomplete, but how can you not be disappointed? Campbell was supposed to provide on the field veteran leadership, and has instead been an absentee. Perch is relatively young and has shown plenty of promise. To call him a flop when another defender from the same transfer window has had much less of an impact is simply unfair.

A Roundup of Match Reviews From the Tyne-Wear Derby

Lee Ryder, The Chronicle - Says The Geordies could have scored 10 goals and named Kevin Nolan his Man of the Match

BPL Official Site - Focuses on Chris Hughton's glowing remarks of captain Kevin Nolan.

Louise Taylor, The Guardian - Credits the win to the 4-4-2 formation.

MirrorFootball - Some slightly humorous musings on the match.

Paul Fraser, The Northern Echo - Gives a moment-by-moment recap of the action.

Steve Brenner, The Sun - Says that Mike Ashley "has to act" to sign Chris Hughton to an extension and gives very high marks to several Toon players.

Toonsy, nufcblog.org - Praises several players for their performance.

Ed Harrison, nufcblog.com - "Newcastle were better than Sunderland in every single department."

CHN Links: Wednesday Edition

Good morning, Toon Army. Still on Cloud 9 after Sunday? Us too.


Walking in a Hughton Wonderland.
Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Video Highlights from NUFC 5, SAFC 1

RKW and I went to Game 5 of the World Series last night and watched the wrong team win it all, so please forgive us for taking a few hours off. We have plenty more to say about the mackems and we're already looking forward to taking on The Gunners for real, so stick with us.

For now, head over to CaughtOffside to see a video of each goal. Below is my personal favorite: Goal #4.